When we’re not outdoors, we get our adventure fix by exploring social media and the web. Here are some of the best adventure links we’ve discovered this week.
Risking Their Lives to Ski While They Can: There have always been groups of winter sports enthusiasts who have pushed boundaries, but they tended to be highly experienced. Now a worrying trend has developed, beginners are following in their footsteps and are not equipped to deal with the dangers.
The NPS Wants to Ban Wilderness Climbing: The National Park Service and the U.S. Forest Service want to ban fixed anchors in Wilderness areas. Last week the period for public comments on the issue came to an end. Now people are waiting to hear the outcome.
Steven Potter outlines the major implications of the proposals.
From biking to climbing
Interview with Stefano Ghisolfi: Italian climber Stefano Ghisolfi started out competing in mountain biking but after going climbing with a friend, he fell in love. After a few years of indoor climbing, he moved to rock and progressed at a rapid pace. He talks to UK Climbing about his history with the sport and what he hopes to accomplish this year.
Kitesurfing in 50-Knot Winds: Amongst surfers, Maui is known for its high winds. If you want to tackle the waves you need to prepare to make the best of unfavorable conditions.
Kai Lenny recently went out to Ho’okipa in 10 to 50-knot winds with his kite. “It made kitesurfing challenging but really rewarding when I could actually link a turn,” he said.
Below you can watch a video of him taking on the gusty conditions.
The Dark History Behind Madeira’s Famous Levadas: Madeira has several epic hikes. Many of these run alongside the island’s man-made irrigation tunnels, called levadas. Though the island is just 55km long and 22km wide, the network of levadas stretches 3,100km. They are deeply entwined with the history and culture of the island. Soon they may become a UNESCO site.
Hiker Adam Turner walked sections of the PR 9 and reflected on the growing popularity of the routes and the darker side of their history.
Tiya Miles Uncovers the Hidden History of Women in the Outdoors: Tiya Miles is uncovering the lives of trailblazing women. Many of their stories are intrinsically linked to the outdoors, but this aspect of their lives has often been overlooked.
An American history professor, Miles vividly remembers the day she found out that a park ranger had called Harriet Tubman the “ultimate outdoorswoman.” Tubman had used her vast knowledge of the outdoors to escape slave hunters and then to help others.
Miles has made it her mission to reexamine the role of the outdoors in the lives of 19th-century women.
Paddling the Porcupine River. Photo: Ray Goodwin
Porcupine River
Ray Goodwin’s Porcupine River: Ray Goodwin and Pail Kirtley had planned to canoe the Missinaibi and Porcupine years ago. Covid, some osteoarthritis, and a heart problem later, they finally managed it.
They flew to Points North to start their 12-day trip on the Porcupine River in Saskatchewan. Goodwin writes about the 10-person, five-canoe group and their experiences.
Cathedrals of Wilderness: With all of the furor over the proposal to ban wilderness climbing, the American Alpine Club wanted to look into its history. After going back through almost 100 years of records and documentation, they provide details of three first ascents that “demonstrate the roots of wilderness climbing.”
They demonstrate that historical wilderness climbing used fixed gear. It was always used reasonably and minimally to ensure safety and allow meaningful experiences.
